Hatchway table



M. MACTAGGART l29455399384? mg., M, 1949..

naa.

Patented Aug. 16, 1949 HATCHWAY TABLE Malcolm Mactaggart, Welwyn, AEngland Application March 7, 1945, Serial No. 581,502

In Great Britain January 27, 1944 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires January 27, 1964 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in or relating to domestic furnituresuand particularly tables, e. g. dining tables.

The term table as used herein is intended to cover any device having a horizontal or substan"l tially horizontal upper surface suitable for supporting various articles, provisions and so on, e. g. a device in the nature of a table-top, counter, trolley, shelf, sideboard or the like or a part which incooperation with other parts forms such a device.

According to the present invention there is provided a frame adapted to form a hatchway in a Wall, partition or the like and a platform or the like located in said frame and adapted to be moved at will into positions forming a table `on either side of said frame.

The aforesaid platform or the like may also -be adapted to move from a horizontal position into a position lying in the plane of the hatch- -way so enabling it to be disposed Within the compass of the hatchway when no table is `requiredv on either side thereof.

Any desired foldable or slidable brackets, bearers, legs or the like may be provided for supporting the aforesaid platform or the like when it is in either of its table-forming positions. Thus for instance bracket `members may be hingedly mounted on the frame and be adapted to swing from positions in which they rest iiush with the faces of the hatchway into positions in which they extend horizontally from the hatchway.

The aforesaid frame is preferably Aof a size adapted to form a hatchway of dimensions similar to those of hatchways frequently provided between kitchens and dining rooms and in such cases and assuming that the platform or the like is of dimensions appropriate for being nested wholly within the limits of the hatchway such table would be of undulysmall size for instance for use vas a dining table. In such cases and in other circumstances Where a larger table than that afforded by the said platform or the like 1s required the said platform may be formed in 'two or more parts adapted to be superimposedwhen moved to their closed positions and to lie inY a single plane when extended into their Yhorizontal positions and in such cases only that part of the platform or the like which is adjacent to the hatchway may be adapted to be moved to both sides of such hatchway.v Inother arrangements for providinga table of greater area than that of the said platform or the like one or more subrespect to the main platform so as to form an extendible leaf` on one or more of the sides thereof. or one or more subsidiary platforms may be carried by the above mentioned frame, said subsidiary platform or each of said subsidiary platforms in the latter arrangement being adapted to be moved from a position in which it lies vertically Within the compass of the hatchway into a position in which it lies in the plane occupied by the main platform or the like when the latter is in its horizontal position, said subsidiary platform or platforms thus forming side extensions of the main platform.

It Ais also within the scope of the present invention to provide twoor more combined table and hatchway units in side by side relationship so that the platforms or the main platforms of the respective `units when in their horizontal positions form a continuous table top. In the latter event one or more of the units may include subsidiary platforms of .the above mentioned kind adapted to extend to one or both sides of the main platform or platforms, the main platforms being spaced apart by appropriate distances Where necessary, and/or such unit or units may include a platform or platforms of the above mentionedkind comprising a pluralityof parts.

A combined hatchway and table in accordance with the present invention may include any desired shutter or shutters, e. g. of the roller-blind or roll-top desk kind, for closing the opening which is formed in the hatchway when the tableforming elements are in their opened conditions and/or Afor totally enclosing such elements when they are in their closed positions although in some cases the table velements themselves may, when closed, form a closure for the hatchway.

A device .according to the present invention offers numerous advantages as compared with anprovisions and so on have to passed through the hatchway either individually or lona trayand then carried to. the tableand during the reverse process fsucharticles, provisions and so on havev to :be moved from the table and passed back sidiary platforms may be slidably disposedwith 55` through the hatchway orcoilected from the table to such other room and automatically forms la table.

In order that the present invention mayr be well understood I will now describe, by wayof examples only, some embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective View of one form of the device with all of theparts, with the exception vof one bracket, in their fully closed positions,

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view ofthe device shown in Figure 1 with some of theparts in their fully opened condition,

vFigure' 3Y is a diagrammatic View of the same device wthall of the parts in their fully opened positions, Y

l Figure 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing thefsame device with the parts in their opened positions and` forming a dining or like table, c,

:Figure 5 is a diagrammatic perspective View of amodied device showing some parts of the device in their closed positions and some parts in their opened positions, Y

' Figure 6cis a diagrammatic perspective view of another form of device in its fully closed position, Y

Figure '7v is a diagrammatic perspective view of the device shown in Figure 6 with the parts in apartially opened condition, Figure 8 is a diagrammatic perspective View of the deviceshown in Figures 6 and 7 but with all of the parts in their fully opened positions andr c A Figure 9 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the same device but with the parts inY their positions forming va dining table.

Referring to Figures l to 4, the device comprises a rectangular frame I made from wood, metal or other suitable material adapted to be placed in an opening'in a wall, partition or the like dividing a dining room from a kitchen, such opening measuring say about two feet horizontally and two feet vertically and being positioned so that its base is slightly below the height of a normal dining table;

The frame I is preferably of such a width that its front and back surface lie flush with the wall, partition or the like in which it is inserted, the surface presented forwardly in the gures facing the dining room and the opposite surface facing the kitchen.

The top member of the frame I lines the top of the opening in the wall, partition or the like and forms a box in which is mounted a roller blind 2, said blind when drawn downwardly entirely covering the opening formed by the frame. -jThe sides of the frame I line the sides of the opening in the wall, partition or the like and their inner surfaces are provided withrrunways for the rollerblind 2. e

The bottom member of the frame ,linesY the base of the opening inthe wall, partition or the like, such member being wider than the side members, the face presented towards the dining room being if required, Wider than that presented 4 towards the kitchen so as to form a flange to assist in fixing.

Two bracket arms 3, 3 are pivotally mounted on the frame I for movement into the positions shown in the figures, i. e. projecting at right angles into the kitchen, and into positions in which they are superimposed and lie ush with the adjacent face of the frame, said bracket arms being disposed at the base of the frame and being of lengths approximately equal to the width of the opening in the frame.

Two bracket arms 4, 4 are similarly mounted and disposed on the side of the frame opposite to that on which the bracket arms 3, 3 are located, i. e. the arms 4, 4 can be swung into positions in which they extend at right angles into the dining room (both arms being shown in that position in Figures 3 and 4 and one of such arms being shown in that position in Figure 2) and ini-,oppositions in which they are nested and superimposed ush with the frame, both arms being shown in the latter position in Figure 1.

The upper surfaces of the bracket arms 3, 3, 4, 4 and the upper surfaces of the base member of the frame I lie in the same horizontal plane and the opposed arms lie in straight lines, i. e. at right angles to the frame, when fully opened. The said upper surfaces form a bearing surface fora platform 5, such platform being of rectangular form, one dimension of which corresponds to the width of the opening in the frame I and the other dimension of which corresponds to the length of the above mentioned bracket arms. The said platform is slidable from a. p0- sition in which it projects wholly to one or the other side of the frame I, i. e. into the position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 in which it projects wholly into the kitchen and into the position shown in Figure 4 in which it projects wholly into the dining room. If desired the undersurfaoe of the said platform may be provided with ball or roller bearings and grooves or channels may be formed in the upper surfaces of the bracket armsand across the base member of the frame I for forming tracks for such ball or roller bearings.

Those parts of the device which have so far been described provide a table which can be eX- tended through the opened hatchway into the dining room when required and passed into the kitchen when it is not required in the dining room, and in the latter circumstance the bracket arms 4, 4 can be closed so leaving the dining room wall free from any projections. The transference of articles, provisions and so on from the kitchen to the dining room and vice versa can be very easily effected, and, for the purpose of such transference, there is no necessity to move such articles, provisions and so on from or to the table. Moreover the blind 2 enables the hatchway to be completely closed when the parts are in the position for forming a tab-le in the dining room. The table area is however limited to that of the platform 5 and Whilst this may be appropriate for forming a table top suitable for accommodating three persons around its three free sidesan increase in the size of the platform 5 to an extent appropriate for forming a, table say for iive persons would probably result in the hatchway being objectionably wide. The construction shown in Figures 1 to 4 includes one example of suitable means for providing a, larger table without increasing the size of the slidable platform, such means comprising subsidiary aps 6, 6 hingedly connected to the bracket arms 4, 4,

,eg-waxes 'which they are 'coplanar with thefbracktsto Whichthey are connected andcanftliereforeibe nested within `the -icompassg-of the; frame I when the brackets are moved to their closed positions, orintp horizontal positions'in which, assuming the; arms l4,- 4 -are inrthei'r' oifvenedv posi Iion'syside extensions are formedfor-,the l platform- ,-as; in- `di catedin1Figure-4. .j fj jIn 4Vorder tosupportthe aboveementioned flaps in i their "horizontal vpositions vvsubsidiary bracket 'arri-15J, 1" are'pivotedto'the larms 4, torito; the rame I the-said arms VL '1l-being' adapte'dto'nest with f the arms 4, -4- within fthe Compass of` the trarneJ I', the arms-4,1 being for' instance provided with'recesses'forreceivingthefaims 1, Lf f j In arnodiiication' of-the construction `s'ho'vvnfin Figures 1 to 41instead ofsproviding a hinged flap on both sides of the slidableplatform 5 a hinged flap, may bemprovided on'onlyl onerside thereof.

.In 'a further modification of ^the arrangement shown in Figures/Iton, instead `ol.' providingone or more hinged flaps for lproviding a table of greater area than that of the sliding platform 5, I may provide a composite slidable platform comprising twoor more sections adapted to be superimposed when it is desired to pass the Platform through the hatchway and to be extended so as to lie in a common horizontal plane when such composite platform is fully extended to one or to either side of the hatchway. In such arrangement the various sections may be hingedly interconnected or they may be slidably interconnected, e. g. in a manner similar to that already used in extending tables.

The arrangement shown in Figure 5 is vsimilar to that shown in the earlier gures subject to the side flaps and bracket arms when closed being nested in the frame in side by side instead of superimposed positions and similar reference numerals are accordingly employed for designating corresponding parts.

The arrangement shown in Figures 6 to 9 pro-V vides a table which is extendible from the hatchway into a dining room to an extent greater than that to which the slidable platform itself extends, it being possible in this manner to form a table of which the longer dimension extends at Y right angles to the wall in which the hatchway is formed. In this construction the device includes a frame 9 which is very similar to the above described frame I in that it is rectangular and its top member constitutes a housing for a roller blind I0 which can be drawn downwardly to close the hatchway when the table forming parts are in their extended positions. Such table forming parts comprise a section Il pivotally mounted on arms I2, I2 and a slidable platform I3. The said arms I2, I2 are pivotally mounted at the base of the frame Il and adapted to be swung in vertical planes into positions in which they nest in the frame Il and into positions in which they project horizontally into the dining room, any suitable legs, e. g. legs I5 pivotally mounted on the section II, being provided for supporting said section in its horizontal position.

The pivotal axis of the section II is parallel to the pivotal axis of the arms I2, I 2 and the pivotal connection between such parts is such that when extended into horizontal positions (i. e. the positions shown in Figures 8 and 9) the upper surfaces of the section I I and arms I2y respectively lie in the same horizontal plane, and when the arms I2 are upturned into vertical positions and -thesection'l I :is downturnedirito -faiverticah posi- .tion saidarms and.' section become .isuperimposeu and? nested -withinthel compasslofr the framei;

- The inner facestof` the farms rlzfand` thei'edZeS of the platform I3 are'r'rebatedasshowniiniFixvu're 8- -so that thefsliclable platform cany beifappmpriately supported and `g-uided lbyrsaid arms.v

i 10h Lthe'fkitchen i side ,ofthe hatchway-f shown in Figures 2,6 "to 9 `there f is provided i a slideway for receivingtthe Islidable i platform I3, r such" slidewy being: f ormedffon instance? inraishelf table,"biaek 'ets :or `the like,epart ofl afsuitable slideway 'being indicatedinFigure Sian'ddesignated |45 When it is desired to transferaarticles; provi:- sionsand so` on. fromfafkitchen to` a diningiroom table:with1the"aid^of the device shown inFigureS `fito, 9 'the said? articles, v:provisions and so onriare located on lthe *platform I3 whilst the latteriis intra position-'extending into the kitchen, Vtheses@- tion i I. I z is swunghutwardlyand downwardly: into the position shown in` Figures V8 and 9 .andithe legs j I'5 Yare openedfinto .the positions shown A1130 forming'a pa'rtof the table,` and the-islidablezplatform I'3 is .then "moved through the Vhatciwvay into the position shown. in 1Figure9, i. etinto sfposition inwhiclrit` abuts: against the section: IfI and completes the formation 'of the table. Thetshutter IFI! is then drawn, completely separating the dining room from the kitchen. When it is desired to carry out the reverse process the articles, provisions and so on to be returned to the kitchen are assembled on the platform I3, the blind II) is raised, the platform is moved through the hatchway and after folding the legs I5 the section I I is moved from the position shown in Figures 8 and 9 through the position shown in Figure 7 into the position shown in Figure 6.

Whilst I have hereinbefore described some embodiments of the present invention I wish it to be understood that there may be various modiiications without departing from the scope of such invention. Thus for instance the slidable platform or the like may be associated with any desired number of slidable or hinged flaps and the slidable platform may itself be adapted to be nested within the compass of the hatchway, e. g. the platform 5 shown in Figures 1 to 4 may be turned from the position shown in Figures 1 to 3 into a vertical position Within the frame I.

I claim:

l. An article of furniture comprising a frame forming a hatchway, a platform located in said hatchway and slidable in a horizontal plane from a position projecting from one side of said frame into a position projecting from the other side thereof, supporting brackets located on at least one side of said frame and movable from positions in which they are nested in said frame into positions in which they extend horizontally therefrom, and a panel carried by said brackets and spaced from the said frame by a distance appropriate for receiving the said platform when the latter is in a position projecting from the said side of the frame. p

2. An article of furniture according to claim "1 wherein the said panel is pivotally mounted on the said supporting brackets and said supporting` brackets ar-e pivotally connected to the frame, said brackets being swingable into horizontally extending positions and into vertically extending rposition located on the other side of said frame,

supporting brackets disposed on at least one side of said frame and movable from positions lying in the 'plane of the frame into positions projecting atl right angles therefrom, provision for 'moving said platform at will into a horizontal position or into a vertical position nested 'in said "frame,V and a shutter for closing the hatchway formed by said frame when the platform is horizontally disposed.

4. An article of furniture comprising a frame lforming a hatchway, a platform slidably located in 'said frame and movable at will into positions forming a table on either side of said frame and supporting members pivotally mounted on said frame at their inner ends and connected at their outer ends by a member with a flat surface, said supporting members being movable vfrom a position in which they are nested in said frame into 'a position in which they project therefrom and form both a support for and a surface horizonrtally' continuous with the said platform when the its projecting positions.

8 REFERENCES CITED Thejfollowing references are of record in the le of this patent: V-

i UNITED STATES 'PATENTS Number Name ,Y Date 602,741 Fry. l. Apr. 19, 1898 771,317,895, Rudy oct. '1, 1919 1,597,335 Alexander Aug. 24,1926 1,654,692 lMarois Jan. 3, 1928 1,677,620. Cummings July 17, 1928 1,714,305 Gassen May 21, 1929 1,724,457Y Cummings Aug. 13, 1929 1,816,823 Bormann Aug. 4, 1931 3 1,850,572 Starck Mar. 22, 1932 1,916,828( De Gloria July 4, 1933 `2,131,675 Schieber YSept. 27, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 271,392 Germany Mar. 11, 1914 Great Britain June 7, 1924 

